Saints select WR Jordyn Tyson
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The New Orleans Saints selected Jordyn Tyson, a wide receiver from Arizona State, with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, adding a big target with proven college production to their offense.
Tyson gives New Orleans a 6-foot-2 receiver who can line up outside, win as a route-runner and bring another young playmaker into an offense that needed more long-term answers in the passing game.
Saints select WR Jordyn Tyson
Arizona State lists Tyson as a 6-foot-2, 200-pound redshirt junior from Allen, Texas, while NFL Draft Buzz lists him with a 4.55-second 40-yard dash.
That 40 time comes with a note. NFL Draft Buzz labels the 4.55 as an “other” time, not an official NFL Combine time, and CBS Sports’ profile says Tyson did not participate in on-field testing.
The Saints did not need another receiver who only wins one way. Tyson’s appeal is that he brings size, body control and route-running ability to a passing game that needed more dependable options.
At 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, Tyson has the frame to play outside. CBS Sports described him as a receiver who lined up primarily as an outside “X” but also has experience in the slot and in pre-snap motion, which gives New Orleans more flexibility in how it deploys him.
The fit is especially clean if the Saints want a receiver who can develop into a chain-moving target rather than a pure speed bet. Tyson is not being drafted because of one timed sprint. He is being drafted because of how he separates, adjusts to the ball and gives quarterbacks a bigger catch window.
Tyson’s college path included a stop at Colorado before he became one of Arizona State’s top offensive players.
CBS Sports noted that Tyson’s 2022 season at Colorado was interrupted by a major knee injury, and that he later transferred to Arizona State after Kenny Dillingham heavily recruited him. Once healthy, Tyson led the Sun Devils in receiving in each of the past two seasons.
His best full season came in 2024, when Arizona State credited him with 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns before an injury caused him to miss the postseason. In 2025, ASU listed him with 61 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown.
CBS Sports listed Tyson’s career totals at 158 catches, 2,282 yards and 23 total touchdowns over 33 college games.
For the Saints, Tyson gives the offense a receiver with enough size to play on the perimeter and enough route detail to earn targets early, and what could be a critical component for quarterback Tyler Shough.
The most important question is how quickly he can become reliable against NFL coverage. Tyson’s injury history will be part of the conversation, but the production is real. He made plays at Colorado, waited through a recovery year at Arizona State and then became one of the Big 12’s most productive receivers.
If Tyson hits, the Saints get more than a first-round wideout. They get a young offensive building block who can grow with the rest of the passing game and give New Orleans a more complete receiver room.
For a team trying to make its top-10 pick count, Tyson’s combination of size, college production and route-running upside gives the Saints a clear bet on their offensive future.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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